للَّهِ خالد الطائيُّ من رجلٍ

للَّهِ خالد الطائيُّ من رجلٍ

كم شُبهةٍ من عَويص الفقهِ جلّاها

كم شُبهةٍ من عَويص الفقهِ جلّاها

God bless Khalid al-Ta’i—what a man!

Khalid Al Taei belongs to a man

How many a doubt in intricate religious law he has cleared up!

Who has clarified many an obscure point of jurisprudence

أبصرتُ زوجتَهُ يوماً بحضرَته

أبصرتُ زوجتَهُ يوماً بحضرَته

وقد علتْ دون سقفِ البيت رِجْلاها

وقد علتْ دون سقفِ البيت رِجْلاها

I saw his wife one day in his presence,

One day I saw his wife in his presence

And her two legs were raised high beneath the house’s roof.

With her legs raised above the roof of the house

فقلتْ هلّا توارت عنك محسنةً

فقلتْ هلّا توارت عنك محسنةً

فقال تخشى عقابَ اللَّهِ مولاها

فقال تخشى عقابَ اللَّهِ مولاها

So I said, “Why did she not hide herself from you, as was proper?”

So I said: Wouldn't it be better if you concealed yourself from him?

He said, “She fears the punishment of God, her Lord.

She replied: I fear the punishment of Allah, my Lord

لو أنها كاتَمَتْني بالزنا أَثمتْ

لو أنها كاتَمَتْني بالزنا أَثمتْ

إذ تتَّقيني بما لا تتَّقي اللهَ

إذ تتَّقيني بما لا تتَّقي اللهَ

Had she concealed her adultery from me, she would have sinned,

If she had concealed adultery from me, she would have sinned

For she would fear me in a way she does not fear God.”

Since she fears me and not Allah